وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ 115
Translations
And Allāh would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of all things.
Transliteration
Wa mā kāna Allāhu liyuḍilla qawman baʿda idhā hadāhum ḥattā yubayyin lahum mā yattaqūn. Inna Allāha bikulli shayʾin ʿalīm.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah does not lead a people into misguidance after He has guided them, unless He first clarifies to them what they should avoid and what constitutes piety. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi interpret this as establishing Allah's justice—He does not punish people for transgression without first making the truth clear to them through prophets and revelation. The ayah emphasizes that divine punishment follows only after people have been given clear guidance and understanding.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah At-Tawbah, a Medinan surah dealing with repentance, faith, and the consequences of hypocrisy. It is situated within a section addressing those who break their covenants with Allah. The ayah responds to deeper theological concerns about predestination and divine justice, affirming that Allah's guidance is always preceded by clear communication of religious obligations.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reinforced in the hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Every one of my ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse.' When asked who would refuse, he replied: 'Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me has refused.' This emphasizes personal choice after clear guidance. Additionally, Surah 20:134 contains a related principle about not punishing without sending a messenger.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reassures us that Allah's justice is perfect—He never condemns us without first making the truth clear and providing us with the means to understand our obligations. For modern believers, this emphasizes personal responsibility: once we have received clear Islamic guidance, we are accountable for our choices, and we should not blame fate or predestination for our willful disobedience.